UPDATE:
A Kansas House committee has rejected a conservative lawmaker's proposal to increase the state's sales tax by a full penny to help close a budget shortfall. But the Taxation Committee is now debating other alternatives to the measure from Republican Representative Steve Brunk of Wichita. Brunk's plan failed on a voice vote. It would have increased the sales tax to 7.15 percent from 6.15 percent.
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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A conservative legislator has proposed increasing the state's sales tax by a full penny for every dollar consumers spend to help close a budget shortfall. Republican Representative Steve Brunk, of Wichita, offered the proposal today (TUE) during a meeting of the House Taxation Committee. The panel is considering proposals for raising new revenues to erase a projected $406 million budget deficit for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Brunk's plan would increase the sales tax to 7.15 percent from 6.15 percent. It also would eliminate most personal income tax deductions. His plan still would allow the state to drop its lowest personal income tax rate to 2.25 percent from 2.7 percent. Brunk also would preserve an income tax exemption for more than 330,000 for business owners and farmers enacted in 2012.
